Nearly four months after he crossed over the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan on Saturday repatriated Indian Army soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan via the Wagah border as a “gesture of goodwill”.
Chavan had traversed into the Pakistani territory on September 29 last year. The Indian Army contended that the soldier had “deserted” his post.
“As a gesture of goodwill and in continuation of our efforts to maintain peace and tranquility along the border, Chavan has been convinced to return to his own country and will be handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border on humanitarian grounds,” a press release issued by the Pakistan’s Director General of Inter Services public relation Major General Asif Ghafoor said.
The Pakistan Army has alleged that Chavan deserted his post at LoC due to his “grievances of maltreatment against his commanders.” “He willfully crossed the LoC on Sept 29, 2016, and surrendered himself to the Pakistan army,” it added.
The release of the Indian soldier is the first positive development between the two countries after 2016 saw verbal altercations on a regular basis.